The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-01
A MATNEMArlCAL pNODIGY.
Prof. Reuben. Fields and His Wonderful
W'"t# Leserdt main with Figures,

| fr0f. Reuben Fields and His Wonderful
| ns Legerlt II. Ain with Figures.
*. Louts.G Democrat. ,.
Probably one OF the moat wonderful
men Of this day Is living few miles south
Of Higginsville, Mo. He is known every.
where az Prof. Reuben Fields, and proba.
bly, tho only man in tho country who
travels free on railroads and never has a
pass, and don't bother about tho long and
abort haul clsnae., Prof. Fiolda is un.
doubtodly Il Mathematical wonder, He
has no education whatevaf-doeu not
know u single Letter Of the alphabet, nor his
own name II printed iii sixteen.llne plea
wood type, bold lace. Nor does no know
one figure from another, though he will
solre any problem In mathematics given
him. Tho professor called at the Office Of
the Globe democrat correspondent and on.
tersained him and some lrienda for some
time. He never carries o watch, but
when asked what time Of day lie promptly
answered fourteen minutes and thirty.ionr
seconds after three. Though four watches
varied slightly rs to the seconds the min
utes were all right. When asked what
day Of the week the ed day Of November,
1871, cane he answered, Saturday. He
answered this and number of eimilar
questions without moments hesitation.
10 the question: 81, h 81,
What will thi!ty-nine pounds OF euear
ut Is cents pound amount to !? #
promptly answered IS OF, and before
those who we're figuring with him could
get the question on paper. So the ques-
tion:' rii,6g
What will nineteen and one.half yards
Of calico at 81 cent? amount to-?
Was quickly anBwered-Sl 3ls, These
were very easy ones to the professor, and
he naked for something hard. The follow
ing was given out: Iss
II run twenty-aeven yards in one min
ute, how long will 1t take to run six miles?
With very little study came the answer
-39l 10 minutes, or 6 houys 81 10 min-
utes. it,'.ss IN n, 50
Theae problems seemed not to puzzle
him, az tbs answers came az coon as the
questions were asked. On the folio owing,
however, he required little study, owing,
as he eeid, to the noise about him. The
question wGs: ~ 80
From here to Louisiana, Mo-, ii ia 159
miles; how many revolutions does the
drivine-wheeI Of an engine, fifteen feet in
circumference, make in a run from this
place to Louisiana? F.-7;}
The professor studied little, mutte1ing
strings OF tguTea: S"miltione, billions,
tril'i6ns, quadrillions, 352 to the mile
a5,90S revolutions" came the answer be-
fore the calculators found how many revo-
lutions it made to tbs mile. The figures
1874" were written on q paper and shown
him. He did not know what they we're,
aud, in fact, he Is ignorant on any other
Gubject than mathematics, and the quea-
ton must be asked verbally. He is SO
years OF age and Was bora in Kentucky.
de clsims that his gift was from Heaven,
and ssyB that it came to him suddenly
when eight years old. He says the Lord
made but one Srmson, one Solomon, and
one Reub Fields. To the one he gave
strength, to the other wisdom, and to
himself mathematical instinct. He
guards this instinct with tho utmost care,
and will not answer questions unless he is
paid, fearing that it will he taken from
him should no use il to satisfy idle curioa-
ity. He also VAS given the following:
A has certain sum OF money; he goes
10 o theatre and pays 81 and spends hall
OF what he has left, and then pays 81 to
get out; he goes to second theatre and
then pays$l admission, spends bali no has
leita and pays 81 to got cut; he goes to
& third theatre, pays 81 admission,
spends half OF what he hos left, and then
pays his last dollar to get out. How much
had he when he started? (.
While one o, two Of those present com.
ncuced to scratch up half.forgosten alge-
bra the professor was soaring among the
millions, billions, .trillions, quadrillions,"
and then suddenly dropped down to s2l
before the aleebraic calculators got their
paper ready to commence.
Before the professor left each ono pres.
was born on. The professor accepted 81
with thanks, and promised another call
tn.moTrnW M sI ~ I1= - 51fa g5A# Ess II